Dolly Parton Says She's Happy to Be 'Second in Line' to 'Queen of Christmas' Mariah Carey

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Dolly Parton has held many titles in her career, so she's fine letting "Queen of Christmas" slide.

The country legend, 76, appeared on the December print cover of Better Homes & Gardens — as well as its inaugural digital issue — to talk all things Christmas. And she made sure to give Mariah Carey her flowers in the process.

Asked if she was now the "Queen of Christmas" with her many holiday projects on the horizon (including the rerelease of her Christmas album A Holly Dolly Christmas as well as a new film, Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas), Parton told the outlet that title was all Carey's.

"Now, don't you say that! I'm not going to compete with Mariah," Parton said. "I love her. You think of Christmas, you think of Mariah. I'm happy to be second in line to her."

RELATED: Dolly Parton Talks Giving Back and Being a Tough Boss: 'I Try to Rule with Love and Compassion'

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Parton, who shared that the spirit of Christmas is about "giving and tolerance, understanding and acceptance," is certainly Christmas royalty to fans who have been keeping up with her over the decades. In 1984, she released her first Christmas LP, Once Upon a Christmas, with Kenny Rogers. And just two years ago, she got back in the holiday cheer with A Holly Dolly Christmas.

Even when she was a kid, as she grew up with 11 siblings, her mother would always make Christmas happen, even when they didn't have the money to do so. "I always say Momma could tell you anything and make you believe it. She had to make Christmas good for all of us," Parton told Better Homes & Gardens. "She didn't have any money to do it any other way. You know, we really didn't know we were poor. I always make a joke, 'We didn't know we was poor 'til some smart-ass up and told us.'"

Nowadays, Parton has her own traditions, including decorating an elevator in her house like a chimney on the basement floor. When she arises from it, she earns the title of "Granny Clause."

"It's got the flames and everything," Parton added. "I get in my Santa suit, and I got my Santa bags with their presents in it. And I come down the 'chimney.' "

She also has a few recipes up her sleeve, but she won't be sharing her secrets anytime soon, or ever. "The family loves my chicken and dumplings. Everyone always wants my recipe. But I'm not even gonna leave it behind when I'm gone. I want them to always say, 'This doesn't taste the same. I miss Dolly's.'"

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Parton may be the uncontested "Granny Clause," but the "Queen of Christmas" title has been debated for a while now. Back in March 2021, Carey, 52, filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to legally market herself as the sole "Queen of Christmas," but she was met with pushback.

Singers Elizabeth Chan and Darlene Love, who claim they have ties to the "Queen of Christmas" name, challenged Carey's claim, and Chan spoke to Variety about her decision to pursue legal action and her opposition to Carey being the sole user of the moniker.

"Christmas has come way before any of us on earth, and hopefully will be around way after any of us on earth," Chan said. "And I feel very strongly that no one person should hold onto anything around Christmas or monopolize it in the way that Mariah seeks to in perpetuity. That's just not the right thing to do. Christmas is for everyone. It's meant to be shared; it's not meant to be owned."

RELATED: Dolly Parton Tops an All-Star Lineup in a TV Tribute Concert to the Legendary Kenny Rogers

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But nobody is stopping Mimi from celebrating. Last year, she made holiday history when her No. 1 single "All I Want for Christmas Is You" broke new ground and earned the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) Diamond Award, marking the first holiday single to ever receive the coveted award. The song was originally released in 1994, and continues to see a bump on the charts whenever the holidays roll around.

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And just on Thursday, she revealed a new two-hour holiday special — called Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All! — was coming to CBS and Paramount+ Dec. 20 featuring performances of Carey's holiday hits.